Günther Herrmann (15 September 1908 − 17 February 2004) was a functionary in the SS of Nazi Germany during World War II and a convicted criminal. He commanded the Sonderkommando 4b and the Einsatzkommando 12 of the Einsatzgruppe C in the occupied Soviet Union and the Einsatzgruppe E in Croatia. In 1973, Herrmann was convicted for the murders committed in 1941–42 in the occupied Soviet Union and was sentenced to seven years in prison.
In June 1941, Herrmann was appointed to the command of Sonderkommando 4b of Einsatzgruppe C, which was attached to Army Group South of the Wehrmacht and operated in northern and central Ukraine. Herrmann's command arrived in Lemberg on 30 June 1941, where it cooperated with the Ukrainian militia. In Tarnopol, in cooperation with Hermann's unit, Ukrainian nationalists instigated pogroms against the local Jewish population. By the time Herrmann's unit left Tarnopol on 11 July, 127 people had been executed and 600 more had been murdered in the pogroms.[2]
In mid-August 1941, Herrmann attended the meeting of the Einsatzgruppen leadership at Zhitomir where they received the "strict order" that from then on Jewish women and children were also to be killed. On this occasion, Herrmann was chastised for his slow pace of killings. According to the post-war testimony of his subordinate, Lothar Fendler, Herrmann complained that the higher ups "judged the effectiveness of a commando according to the number of persons the commando has executed".[3]
Sonderkommando 4b continued on to Proskurov, Vinnytsa, Kirovohrad and reached Kremenchuk and Poltava in September. According to a report of 25 September 1941, Herrmann's commando had murdered 13 Soviet officials and 290 Jews. On 1 October 1941, Herrmann was succeeded by Fritz Braune [de]. According to the post-war testimony of Braune, Herrmann was warmly sent off by General Hermann Hoth, commander of the 3rd Panzer Group.[4]
In October 1942, Herrmann was appointed as commander of Einsatzkommando 12 of Einsatzgruppe D. This commando operated in the area of Pripyat marshes in 1943. From 1943 to 1944 Herrmann led Einsatzgruppe E in Croatia.[5]
Trial and convictionedit
Herrmann was arrested in 1962, but was released on bail. On 12 January 1973 he was convicted for his responsibility for the murder of Jews, Soviet state officials, members of the resistance and the mentally disabled as committed by the Sonderkommando 4b in Ukraine in 1941–42. Herrmann was sentenced to 7 years in prison. He was released from prison on 26 October 1980.[6]
^. University of Amsterdam. 27 November 2013. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
Sourcesedit
Browning, Christopher (2004). The Origins of the Final Solution: The Evolution of Nazi Jewish Policy, September 1939 – March 1942. With contributions by Jürgen Matthäus. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. pp. 291–292. ISBN0-803-25979-4.
Rhodes, Richard (2002). Masters of Death: The SS-Einsatzgruppen and the Invention of the Holocaus. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN0-375-40900-9.
. Museum of Tolerance Online Multimedia Learning Center, Annual 4, Chapter 9. Los Angeles: Simon Wiesenthal Center. Archived from the original on 26 August 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
Further readingedit
Gerhard Paul: Staatlicher Terror und gesellschaftliche Verrohung. Die Gestapo in Schleswig-Holstein. Unter Mitarbeit von Erich Koch. Ergebnisse, Hamburg 1996, ISBN3-87916-037-6.
Helmut Krausnick, Hans-Heinrich Wilhelm: Die Truppe des Weltanschauungskrieges. Die Einsatzgruppen der Sicherheitspolizei und des SD 1938–1942. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, Stuttgart 1981, ISBN3421019878.
January 01, 1970
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For other people with the same name see Gunther Herrmann Gunther Herrmann 15 September 1908 17 February 2004 was a functionary in the SS of Nazi Germany during World War II and a convicted criminal He commanded the Sonderkommando 4b and the Einsatzkommando 12 of the Einsatzgruppe C in the occupied Soviet Union and the Einsatzgruppe E in Croatia In 1973 Herrmann was convicted for the murders committed in 1941 42 in the occupied Soviet Union and was sentenced to seven years in prison Gunther HerrmannBorn15 September 1908Minden German EmpireDied17 February 2004 aged 95 Cologne GermanyOccupationSS officialOrganizationEinsatzgruppenKnown forCommander of Sonderkommando 4b Einsatzkommando 12MotiveNazismConviction s Accessory to murderCriminal penalty7 years of imprisonment Contents 1 SS career 2 Trial and conviction 3 References 3 1 Citations 3 2 Sources 4 Further readingSS career editHerrmann studied jurisprudence and political science at the Gottingen University He joined the Nazi Party in 1933 and the SS in 1935 In February 1935 Herrmann was appointed deputy chief of Gestapo in Kiel between 1936 and 1939 he was head of the Gestapo in Kassel Upon the German occupation of Czechoslovakia and the establishment of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia in 1939 Herrmann was appointed as head of the Gestapo in Brno 1 In June 1941 Herrmann was appointed to the command of Sonderkommando 4b of Einsatzgruppe C which was attached to Army Group South of the Wehrmacht and operated in northern and central Ukraine Herrmann s command arrived in Lemberg on 30 June 1941 where it cooperated with the Ukrainian militia In Tarnopol in cooperation with Hermann s unit Ukrainian nationalists instigated pogroms against the local Jewish population By the time Herrmann s unit left Tarnopol on 11 July 127 people had been executed and 600 more had been murdered in the pogroms 2 In mid August 1941 Herrmann attended the meeting of the Einsatzgruppen leadership at Zhitomir where they received the strict order that from then on Jewish women and children were also to be killed On this occasion Herrmann was chastised for his slow pace of killings According to the post war testimony of his subordinate Lothar Fendler Herrmann complained that the higher ups judged the effectiveness of a commando according to the number of persons the commando has executed 3 Sonderkommando 4b continued on to Proskurov Vinnytsa Kirovohrad and reached Kremenchuk and Poltava in September According to a report of 25 September 1941 Herrmann s commando had murdered 13 Soviet officials and 290 Jews On 1 October 1941 Herrmann was succeeded by Fritz Braune de According to the post war testimony of Braune Herrmann was warmly sent off by General Hermann Hoth commander of the 3rd Panzer Group 4 In October 1942 Herrmann was appointed as commander of Einsatzkommando 12 of Einsatzgruppe D This commando operated in the area of Pripyat marshes in 1943 From 1943 to 1944 Herrmann led Einsatzgruppe E in Croatia 5 Trial and conviction editHerrmann was arrested in 1962 but was released on bail On 12 January 1973 he was convicted for his responsibility for the murder of Jews Soviet state officials members of the resistance and the mentally disabled as committed by the Sonderkommando 4b in Ukraine in 1941 42 Herrmann was sentenced to 7 years in prison He was released from prison on 26 October 1980 6 References editCitations edit Browning 2004 p 226 Rhodes 2002 p 64 Rhodes 2002 p 124 125 Ray Brandon Wendy Lower eds The Shoah in Ukraine History Testimony Memorialization Museum of Tolerance Massenvernichtungsverbrechen durch Einsatzgruppen University of Amsterdam 27 November 2013 Archived from the original on 3 December 2013 Retrieved 6 January 2017 Sources edit Browning Christopher 2004 The Origins of the Final Solution The Evolution of Nazi Jewish Policy September 1939 March 1942 With contributions by Jurgen Matthaus Lincoln University of Nebraska Press pp 291 292 ISBN 0 803 25979 4 Rhodes Richard 2002 Masters of Death The SS Einsatzgruppen and the Invention of the Holocaus New York Alfred A Knopf ISBN 0 375 40900 9 Book review Tasks of the Einsatzgruppen by Alfred Streim Museum of Tolerance Online Multimedia Learning Center Annual 4 Chapter 9 Los Angeles Simon Wiesenthal Center Archived from the original on 26 August 2012 Retrieved 6 May 2013 Further reading editGerhard Paul Staatlicher Terror und gesellschaftliche Verrohung Die Gestapo in Schleswig Holstein Unter Mitarbeit von Erich Koch Ergebnisse Hamburg 1996 ISBN 3 87916 037 6 Helmut Krausnick Hans Heinrich Wilhelm Die Truppe des Weltanschauungskrieges Die Einsatzgruppen der Sicherheitspolizei und des SD 1938 1942 Deutsche Verlags Anstalt Stuttgart 1981 ISBN 3421019878 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gunther Herrmann SS commander amp oldid 1161470145, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
